Deprived of a match this weekend due to its early elimination in the Coupe de France, the Stade de Reims will be able to savor this rest: its success in Nantes on Wednesday offers it almost maintenance.
Clearly, FC Nantes is succeeding at the Stade de Reims this season. There was, in mid-December, this stunning victory at home (3-2), a symbol of the rebirth of Reims after a failed start to the year. On Wednesday evening, the new success at La Beaujoire (1-2), the first since October 1974 (!), Could also mark the end of the season for the Champenois. “It’s a game at stake,” said coach David Guion, before the meeting. “It’s a turning point in the season,” insisted midfielder Xavier Chavalerin. This is to say if the meeting between these two monuments of French football was of capital importance in the race to maintain.
After 90 sluggish minutes, during which the Stade de Reims only scored two strikes for … two goals, the partners of Yunis Abdelhamid, scorer of the head in stoppage time, have indeed given a boost to an end season which promised to be a little bland. The series of five games without a win and four consecutive draws ended in the best possible way, facing a direct competitor who will fight to the end for maintenance (19th). With ten points ahead of the Canaries, a 12th place and only 4 points behind Rennes, 10th, the Stade de Reims is almost maintained and can now look a little higher. “From an accounting point of view, it’s a good operation,” commented David Guion after the meeting. No euphoria, obviously, in the words of the technician, upset that his team had delivered a pale copy against Nantes yet still fragile. “With 34 points, that should allow my players to be more relaxed and technically much fairer. This is what I expect in the coming weeks. The course is set.
Ten points ahead of the red zone
To achieve this, the Rémois will be entitled to a few extra days compared to the crazy pace they have just experienced since the beginning of the year. Indeed, the elimination in the Coupe de France against Valenciennes (3-4), a month ago, offers the Marnais a weekend of rest, while their future opponent, Olympique Lyonnais, will receive Sochaux, this Saturday. A team (3rd) fully engaged in the title race, alongside the leader of Lille and Paris SG, which will have the obligation to win during its trip to Reims, on Friday March 12, at the opening of the 29th day of the League 1, in order to put pressure on its direct competitors. Rejuvenated by their victory against the Canaries and almost detached from the race to maintain, the Rémois, them, will be able to play with less pressure than their opponent. It is up to them to take advantage of it and to free themselves up a little more, as their coach has been claiming for many weeks.
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